Minimal invasive therapy of aneurysms of the superficial femoral artery and the popliteal artery

Percutaneous stent placement has been described for treatment of aneurysms as an alternative to surgical therapy. Literature reports of percutaneous minimal invasive therapy of peripheral aneurysms shall be reviewed and compared with our own results. Six male patients (51-69 years) with femoropopliteal occlusions related to aneurysms were treated percutaneously. In two cases Wallstents and in four cases polyester-covered nitinol stents were applicated. A clinical investigation including doppler-ultrasound was performed 24 hrs, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after the intervention. Stent placement succeeded in all cases. No adjunctive surgical treatment was necessary. Ankle-brachial-index (ABI) improved from 0.22 +/- 0.2 before to 0.74 +/- 0.2 24 hours after the intervention. One patient was lost for follow-up (Wallstent). A decrease of ABI and additional intraarterial angiography revealed stent-graft occlusion within one month (n = 2) and within three months (n = 1). One of these cases was successfully recanalized with local fibrinolysis therapy. In three patients patency of the stent persisted for 24 (+/- 2) months follow-up with three-vessel-supply of the calf. These results warrant further investigations for this minimal invasive method of percutaneous stent deployment as an alternative to surgical bypass treatment of femoropopliteal aneurysms. Time of hospitalization was reduced. At this time, surgical treatment of peripheral vascular aneurysms is gold standard.     

Gas-Liquid chromatography of fatty derivatives. I. Separation of homologous series ofa-olefins,n-hydrocarbons,n-nitriles,and n-alcohols

Summary Gas-liquid chromatography has been shown to be applicable to the analysis of several fatty derivatives. The difficulties inherent in conventional separation schemes such as liquid-liquid chromatography, fractional distillation, and crystallization can be overcome through the use of gas-liquid chromatography. It becomes the preferred procedure for several reasons: a) fractions are more nearly pure, b) analysis time is a fraction of the time required for conventional separations, c) operational procedures are simple and highly reproducible, d) sample size requirements are low, e) the cost per unit analysis is low. These factors suggest that gas-liquid chromatography is highly useful as an analytical tool in fat research. In many cases the determination of chainlength distribution has already become a routine function. There remain areas in which gas-liquid chromatography has not been completely successful. Until very recently the separation of fatty methyl esters of similar chain length and varying degrees of unsaturation has been time-consuming and tedious. Several new partitioning agents hold out great promise in the separation of the isomeric C₁₈ fatty acids. More selective partitioning agents and refined techniques undoubtedly will equally improve the resolution of unsaturated alcohols and other unsaturated fatty derivatives. Presented at annual meeting, American Oil Chemists' Society, Memphis, Tenn., April 21–23, 1958. Technical Paper No. 160, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company.     

Pressure dependence of superconductivity in Ba4C60

In Ba_xC₆₀ superconductivity (sc) at T_c=(6.8±0.2) K is associated with the x=4 phase. Here we present pressure studies of T_c of a Ba_xC₆₀ sample (dT_c/dp= –1.9 K/GPa) which exhibits a large volume fraction of the x=4 phase. In the alkali-fullerides K₆₀C₆₀ and Rb₃C₆₀ T_c is governed by the electronic density of states N(E_F) (T_c exp{–1/N(E_F)V}). The dependence of N(E_F) on volume can be approximated by N(E_F)=N₀ d _eff ³, where d_eff is the surface to surface distance of neighboured C₆₀-molecules. This relationship is corroborated by (T_C,d)-data of various compounds of the form A_3–xB_xC₆₀ (A: K, Rb; B: K, Rb, Cs; x2). Strong deviation from this behavior is found for the alkaline-fulleride superconductor Ba₄C₆₀. This deviation is attributed to the hybridization of alkaline-metal s-, d-states and C₆₀ -states.     

Facebook User Research Using a Probability‐Based Sample and Behavioral Data

Research on Facebook users is often based on small convenience samples and on usage data collected through survey self‐reports. The current research contributes to Facebook user research, as it is based on a large, nationally representative, probability‐based, U.S. sample with Internet usage data collected from meters. Results revealed that 50% of sample members are recent Facebook users. However, within this group, there is wide variation in amount of usage between heavy, medium, and light users. Finally, based on a multivariate analysis, Facebook users are significantly more likely to be women, teens, whites, and adults with at least a high school diploma. These demographic patterns apply to heavy, medium, and light Facebook users.     

Disziplinäre Nichtkonsolidierung

Disciplinary Non-Consolidation. On the Origins of Medieval Archaeology in the 1920s and the 1930s. This article investigates the roots of the sub-discipline medieval archaeology that emerged in German-speaking universities in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1930s, research practices crucial for the formation of medieval archaeology, such as the investigation of medieval castles and peasant houses, became more prominent in the humanities, especially in the context of völkisch research. After the Nazis took power in Germany, they encouraged such research because it built a scientific basis for their nationalist policy. This politically motivated funding did not result in a new discipline, in contrast to research fields such as prehistory and folklore studies. In this article, I propose two explanations for why medieval archaeology did not emerge as an interdisciplinary research field in the 1930s and 1940s, even though the course was set for its development. First, for archaeologists, art historians, and regional medieval historians, research objects such as medieval castles were semantically too indeterminate. Archaeologists would investigate a castle as a building completely destroyed and buried under rubble, while art historians would be interested in its building technique, and regional medieval historians in its written record. Second, disciplines that were important for the creation of medieval archaeology, such as prehistoric archaeology, art history, and regional medieval history, structurally did not allow for the emergence of an interdisciplinary research field in the 1930s. In particular, prehistoric archaeology, which was crucial for the development of medieval archaeology, itself was not fully institutionalized at universities in the 1930s. This institutionalization process prevented the emergence and development of an interdisciplinary research field such as medieval archaeology. To demonstrate this argument, I draw on two examples of investigations of castles, one in Nazi Germany and the other in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.     

miRNome Profiling and Functional Analysis Reveal Involvement of hsa-miR-1246 in Colon Adenoma-Carcinoma Transition by Targeting AXIN2 and CFTR

Regulatory changes occurring early in colorectal cancer development remain poorly investigated. Since the majority of cases develop from polyps in the adenoma-carcinoma transition, a search of early molecular features, such as aberrations in miRNA expression occurring prior to cancer development, would enable identification of potentially causal, rather than consequential, candidates in the progression of polyp to cancer. In the current study, by employing small RNA-seq profiling of colon biopsy samples, we described differentially expressed miRNAs and their isoforms in the adenoma-carcinoma transition. Analysis of healthy-adenoma-carcinoma sequence in an independent validation group enabled us to identify early deregulated miRNAs including hsa-miR-1246 and hsa-miR-215-5p, the expressions of which are, respectively, gradually increasing and decreasing. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that inhibition of hsa-miR-1246 lead to reduced cell viability, colony formation, and migration rate, thereby indicating an oncogenic effect of this miRNA in vitro. Subsequent western blot and luciferase reporter assay provided evidence of hsa-miR-1246 being involved in the regulation of target AXIN2 and CFTR genes’ expression. To conclude, the present study revealed possible involvement of hsa-miR-1246 in early colorectal cancer development and regulation of tumor suppressors AXIN2 and CFTR.     

Profiling of the Bacterial Microbiota along the Murine Alimentary Tract

Here, the spatial distribution of the bacterial flora along the murine alimentary tract was evaluated using high throughput sequencing in wild-type and Tff3-deficient (Tff3^KO) animals. Loss of Tff3 was linked to increased dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. This systematic study shows the results of 13 different regions from the esophagus to the rectum. The number of bacterial species (richness) increased from the esophagus to the rectum, from 50 to 200, respectively. Additionally, the bacterial community structure changed continuously; the highest changes were between the upper/middle and lower gastrointestinal compartments when comparing adjacent regions. Lactobacillus was the major colonizer in the upper/middle gastrointestinal tract, especially in the esophagus and stomach. From the caecum, a drastic diminution of Lactobacillus occurred, while members of Lachnospiraceae significantly increased. A significant change occurred in the bacterial community between the ascending and the transverse colon with Bacteroidetes being the major colonizers with relative constant abundance until the rectum. Interestingly, wild-type and Tff3^KO animals did not show significant differences in their bacterial communities, suggesting that Tff3 is not involved in alterations of intraluminal or adhesive microbiota but is obviously important for mucosal protection, e.g., of the sensitive stem cells in the colonic crypts probably by a mucus plume.     

Discovery of Ubonodin,an Antimicrobial Lasso Peptide Active against Members of the Burkholderia cepacia Complex

We report the heterologous expression, structure, and antimicrobial activity of a lasso peptide, ubonodin, encoded in the genome of Burkholderia ubonensis. The topology of ubonodin is unprecedented amongst lasso peptides, with 18 of its 28 amino acids found in the mechanically bonded loop segment. Ubonodin inhibits RNA polymerase in vitro and has potent antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic members of the Burkholderia genus, most notably B. cepacia and B. multivorans, causative agents of lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients.